“What’s with all the fuss…?”

My voice shrank, as if it wanted to crawl into a hole.

I couldn’t fully grasp Meteor’s words.

We live in a world where people help each other—why take it so seriously?

Meteor was only nine years old. Of course, I was a year younger than him, but it wouldn’t have been strange at all if someone else had saved him.

After all, we were just fragile kids.

And yet, he acted as if it were unthinkable for anyone to rescue him.

I couldn’t wrap my head around why he thought that way.

“Anyway, thank you, Crescent.”

Meteor abruptly stood up from the sofa. His sudden movement made me blink, wondering if he was already leaving.

I looked up at him from where I sat, watching him carefully.

“I should be the one thanking you. You’re the one who taught me how to use the heirloom. If you hadn’t sought me out back then, I wouldn’t have known how to use it.”

“Thanks to that, I realized how much I still lack. In the Demon Realm, I hit a massive wall.”

Huh?

That answer felt like it came out of nowhere.

Was he even listening to me?

“That’s natural, isn’t it? No matter how talented you are, you’re still only nine years old and in the middle of your training.”

“The demons won’t wait for me to fully grow up before they strike.”

“…!”

The realization struck me, and my lips parted slightly.

So that’s why he felt so pressed for time. Even at his young age, Meteor was carrying a heavy sense of duty.

He believed it was his responsibility to play a significant role in saving the world.

Was it because he was born with the Adamas, the highest tier of divine power?

He must have faced immense expectations because of it.

“I’ll need to undergo separate training from now on. The Holy Palace offers intensive special training for knights who want it.”

“What? Doesn’t that mean you won’t be able to come home or visit the Holy Palace for at least a few years? Will the Marchioness even allow it?”

Special training at such an intensity...

I’d considered it before, but as a novice holy knight, it wasn’t even an option for me yet.

I needed to adjust to my current level of training first.

But for Meteor, with his divine power, it was a feasible path. Even so, it felt like he was pushing himself too hard.

Meteor shook his head, his silver hair gleaming as it swayed.

“Mother won’t stop me. I’ll leave as soon as dawn breaks tomorrow.”

“!”

So suddenly?

A pang of unease hit me.

He was still in need of rest, yet he planned to leave for special training just like that. This meant he wouldn’t see his family—or anyone else—for at least three years.

Not seeing me wasn’t an issue, but—

“That training is infamous for its harshness. I’ve heard many people quit right after starting. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“That doesn’t matter to me.”

“Then we won’t see each other for a long time, will we?”

“There’s no need for that.”

“That’s true. For both of us, training is more important, after all.”

I nodded, agreeing with Meteor as if it were the most obvious thing.

Of course.

There was no need for Meteor and me to see each other often.

As much as he wanted to grow stronger, I was also determined to diligently hone my own skills.

“Crescent.”

“Yeah?”

Meteor called out to me suddenly, his voice firm.

His clear eyes had grown even more serious than before.

“I’ll become someone who saves others. I won’t ever be the one being saved.”

He really couldn’t let it go…

It seemed like the fact that I had saved him had left a deep impression on him.

I quickly tried to soothe him.

“Yeah, yeah, of course. That’s the way it should be. But there’s one thing I hope you’ll understand. Just as you want to save others, there are people who want to protect you. That’s how precious you are.”

He was a holy knight born as an Adamas, after all.

The world hadn’t seen someone like him since Baldwin Pluto, who defeated Baal 500 years ago.

Meteor was a critical figure who could potentially slay the Demon King again.

Just as the lives of countless people were invaluable, so was Meteor.

As it was in the original game, without him, this world wouldn’t be saved.

I hoped Meteor would come to value himself as much as he valued protecting others.

“So, it’s perfectly fine for someone else to save you. Don’t think of it as a sign of weakness. It’s just proof that you’re important to others.”

“…”

Meteor didn’t respond.

He only gazed down at me quietly.

Had he understood what I was trying to say?

Feeling a bit awkward, I turned my head away.

“Ahem, anyway, let me know how the special training goes when you get the chance. I’m curious to hear about it.”

“…”

There was no reply.

Only the sunlight streaming through the window stretched across the floor.

Even in the shadows, Meteor shone as brightly as ever.

***

The next day, Meteor truly departed for the Holy Palace. From there, he would head to the location of the special training.

Because it was such a unique program, the Holy Palace kept the details of its location and training regimen strictly confidential.

As a result, rumors abounded, most of them describing it as a place where people were pushed to their limits, to the brink of death.

The truth was that holy knights sometimes did die during training.

However, those who completed the grueling special training returned as undeniably powerful holy knights—legends like Reuben and Miles.

“Don’t cry, Miles. It’s not as if Meteor has left forever,” Reuben said, clicking his tongue.

Miles had been sniffling into a handkerchief for quite some time now.

I couldn’t help but marvel at the sight of the Marquis shedding tears out of concern for his son.

“It’s really embarrassing to cry like this in front of Centi. Besides, you and Father completed the special training and survived, didn’t you?” Rearwin chided him.

“You don’t understand. You could actually die in that place!” Miles snapped, defensive.

A single tear fell from his deep blue eyes, making him look unexpectedly sorrowful.

‘Just how brutal must the special training have been for him to react like this?’

I couldn’t even begin to imagine it and simply rolled my eyes in thought.

If Miles was this apprehensive, the training must truly be ruthless—enough to push someone to their breaking point, even to death.

“How would you know? You’ve never undergone the special training! Only monsters survive that place. Meteor is at least five years too early to be doing this!” Miles protested further.

“Are you underestimating our son? If it’s too much, Metty will know when to come back!” Rearwin countered.

“No. I know Meteor. That boy would never quit from the start.”

“Then he might stop midway through. Have a little more faith in him!”

“Exactly, Miles. You completed the training, so why wouldn’t Meteor be able to handle it?” Reuben interjected calmly.

“…Yes,” Miles finally muttered reluctantly, though his lips still quivered as if he were holding back more tears.

Would Meteor know just how much his father worried about him?

‘And how does someone decide to leave for such a brutal training program overnight? And why didn’t anyone in his family stop him?’

Miles only broke down in tears after Meteor had left.

Meanwhile, Reuben and Rearwin, showing no signs of concern, praised his decision as the right one and cheered him on.

From the outside, the Pluto Ducal House seemed like a glamorous family. But in reality, they were entirely consumed by the idea of training.

Their son was heading into what could be a death trap, yet all they could do was silently worry and offer encouragement.

‘This family really only knows how to fight and protect.’

The more I thought about the Pluto family, the more certain I became.

Whether it was five centuries ago or today, these people seemed to exist solely to eradicate demons and save lives.

‘Well, I should step up my game, too.’

Since I was under their protection, it was only right that I earned my keep.

More importantly, I had no idea how long Dad’s soul could withstand sharing a body with the Demon King.

Dad had already stopped the Demon King from killing me once. That would surely make the Demon King desperate to erase him entirely.

‘That’s why I need to grow stronger. I need to level up!’

If Dad and Meteor were doing their best, then so would I. Time to rise to the challenge!